When
I thought about writing a blog on sex in advertisement, I could think of no other
but, Calvin Kline’s fashionable company. We have all probably seen his
advertisements around. They are always sexual, black-n-white, and typically
appealingly sexy. However, the more research I did, the more I was shocked. At
first, I read that he had started a series of products with the slogan “designed
to make a woman look even sexier than when naked”, in July 2011. [i]
Although this is not as harmful as some other advertisements Klein has done, it
is said to belittle women. But, many of his ads imply that people have to fit
into gender roles. This one from July implies that women have to be skinny,
sexy, and wear lingerie for their man. It is not just women though. In an even
worse advertisement, the one I have pinned to this blog, of Klein’s there was
picture of three men and one lady, who was appearing to be dominated. It was
banned in Australia for how closely it represented rape. It is said that the
possible implantation of rape in the photo goes ignored in America because of
the obsession of beautiful people and it gets overlooked.[ii] This
also implies gender roles that men should be muscular, dominant over women, and
that women are submissive to men. This
is around the time where I thought Calvin Klein’s advertisements could not and
should not hint at anything worse than rape. However, Brooke Shields, who had
posed for naked for pictures at an earlier age than twelve, also starred a
commercial for Calvin Klein on November 19th 1980.[iii]
The commercial consisted of Brooke Shields, at 15 years old, seductively saying,
“You know what comes between me and my Calvin’s?...Nothing”[iv].
So, there are no doubts that these ads are controversial. The question is if we
are going to do what Australia did and ban the rape advertisement as well. Or
furthermore, what draws the line for these advertisements? Since when was rape
considered okay and to not be banned along with sexulizati
[i][i]Farfan, Barbara. About,
"Quotations from CEO Calvin Klein About Marketing Sexuality and Sexy
Brands." Last modified 08 04, 2011. Accessed January 21, 2014.
http://retailindustry.about.com/od/retailleaderquotes/a/Quotations-CEO-Founder-Calvin-Klein-Marketing-Advertising-Retail-Sexuality-Sexy-Brand.htm.
[ii] Brendon, Charnock. MSN,
"Bad Ads: Explicit Sexual Imagery In Marketing ." Last modified 01
10, 2013. Accessed January 21, 2014.
http://businessnews.howzit.msn.com/bad-ads-explicit-sexual-imagery-in-marketing-4?page=3.
[iii] Nandwana, Shefalee. Famous
Daily, "Controversial TV ad for Calvin Klein with Brooke Shields is
banned.." Last modified 10 19, 2012. Accessed January 21, 2014.
[iv] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YK2VZgJ4AoM
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